TechTalk: A Look at the Canon XA40 4K Camcorder

In this TechTalk, we’ll look at the Canon XA40. It's a compact, 4K, entry-level camcorder. 去年我评测了佳能XF405，它有一个1英寸的传感器. The XA40 is the XF405's little brother. It has a smaller 1/2" sensor. 它在弱光下确实会受到一点影响，但总的来说，它提供了一个相当的图像. 如果你在良好的光线下，你会做得很好. The XA40 is not a cinema camera. Canon makes some great cinema cameras, such as the C100, 200, 300, 500 and their DSLRs are great for doing cinema. This is a video camera. It's not meant to do cinema. You can do news or documentary. 如果你正在寻找浅景深，这不是相机做它. What it does is great video for lots of situations.

Powering the XA40

XA40配备一个BP-820电池，但你会想要几个. On Amazon I got the equivalent of a BP-828, which is quite larger than the standard battery, and will give you a about a three-hour runtime, 而内置的820能让你运行不到两个小时. I'd definitely stock up on the 828s.

XA40上电池的一个问题是，当你把电池放在电池支架上时，你会附上一个流行的Manfrotto三脚架板, the QR plate will completely block the battery release. 所以请记住，如果你要长时间拍摄——比如你要录制一个研讨会或讲座——你应该试着在某个地方插上电源, 因为在这段时间内你将无法访问电池释放. It's completely blocked. 这是另一个购买售后超长电池的好理由，

The XA40 is Canon's entry-level camcorder, 它还配有电源，可以插在墙上. 但它没有像XF705等高端相机那样配备单独的电池充电器. 但这款相机要贵得多——7000美元，而XA40的售价为1500美元. But you can get a mobile charger for about $5 on Amazon. The one I bought is from nixxell, but they're all pretty much the same, 可能出自同一家工厂，因为它们有相同的设计. 如果你想在使用相机的时候给电池充电, this is the most inexpensive way to do it, 因为，不需要出门买一个额外的充电器，给电池充电的唯一方法就是在相机不运行的时候给它充电.

Audio Controls

One of the things I really like about this camcorder is, coming from a pro camera, 顶部的小手柄上有音频控制，另一侧也有XLR输入，这很好, and the mic mount right there. This does let you do things that, on some cameras, you'd have to search through a menu to do, 当你在拍摄现场做事情时，这真的很困难. With the XA40, you can right to the top handle and adjust the volume, Mic, Line, Phantom Power--whatever you need to do. 如果您不需要看起来那么专业，您可以将XA40设置为无手柄的“消费者模式”."

每隔一段时间，我们都被要求拍摄一些东西，也许他们不需要专业的视频人员. 拧下两个螺栓，把手就会掉下来，然后——砰——你就进入了消费足球妈妈模式. 没人会知道这不是消费类相机. 你可以带着它去度假，如果你需要更好的音频, you can still use the internal 1/8" mic jack. Screw the handle back on, you're a professional again.

Pros and Cons of Choosing Such a Compact Camera

将XA40与比它大一倍多的专业相机(比如我的索尼HVR-S270U)进行比较公平吗? It is, 因为今天视频制作的现实是人们用更大的相机和更小的相机做不同的事情. 在很大程度上，像我的S270U这样的摄像机已经过时了. 这是一个有13年历史的相机，我在2007年帮助索尼设计的，它真的是一个很棒的相机. One of the reasons I still use it, 除了出色的图像质量，它仍然输出, is that, at least for me, working for clients in California, sometimes they just want the big camera. They say, "I want something that looks impressive, so when my audience and my clients are there, 他们看到你拿着大相机，就知道我是个大人物, not a little guy with little things.“如果他们想用大相机拍照，你就得配合.

尽管S270U已经13岁了，并且可以在内部拍摄HDV, 我确实通过附加Blackmagic视频辅助来保持它的最新状态, and it records ProRes via HD-SDI. But if I've got to run and gun, I prefer a smaller camera like the XA40, and if I have to shoot in low light, the S270U is still is a bit better. The 3-CCD design still has better color separation, from what I've seen, in lower light than the XA40.

The XA40 really is a good little camera. 如果你刚刚入门，它们很便宜，售价在1500美元左右. For run-and-gun outdoor shooting, or working indoors with good light, I have no problems with this camera. I highly recommend it.